China Cosmetic Surgery Enthusiasts Reap Regret in South Korea

China Tourists Tops the Charts

It’s a bit of a shame when more than half of the country’s medical tourists are from China and yet there have been rising cases of the dissatisfied and dismayed. In 2013, more than 25,400 Chinese travelled to Seoul from China looking out to beautify themselves through Asia’s beauty haven with its cutting edge technology and preferred expertise. Some say it’s the appeal of Korean entertainment and music, with celebrities touting the next look, who could resist? Yet, among the district’s hundreds of clinics, not every single one of them is a safe bet. As much as advertisements around subways or buses have led you to believe, it’s a dangerous world in Gangnam street. Dangerous in the sense of there being too many options to choose from, leaving one to wonder who is really trustworthy? Advertisements boast beautiful jaws from jawline surgery and large, even eyes can be achieved in Seoul. Jaw surgery is no child’s play, with major complications extending all the way to permanent nerve damage. For those who had put less thought into it, it’s easy for them to be given the short end of the stick there.

Reaping Regret Over Botched Surgery

The Straits Times, a popular and widely-read newspaper from Singapore had reported, “China’s plastic surgery tourists reap regret in South Korea after surgeries leave them scarred.” How could this be when the numbers are increasing; when more than 25,400 visitors had came from China marking a distinct 70% increase the year before. But then again, if you’ve ever visited China or heard about plastic surgery in China, you’ll also know that there have been many safety concerns around their work there. It’s not surprising then that many of the wealthiest in China choose to come to Korea instead – even if they are paying twice the amount that locals do. They still reckon it’s worth every penny, not that they don’t have the cash to burn! However, the problem is not everyone has the cash to burn and everyone would be hesitant to put their life at risk. We’re willing to bet that not many of the wealthy have been unfortunate enough to end up with horrible, disastrous results. As an official at South Korea’s Healthy Ministry, Ms Park Ji Hye had mentioned, there have been activities involving illegal brokers and overpriced fees, as well as malpractice and complaints arising. These are largely to do with those unfortunate cases. Without a license, these clinics can charge a hefty fee with no expertise to really show for. This is sadly seen in the recent case of a 50 year old Chinese woman who became comatose after seeking treatment with one such clinic in Gangnam district. Another unlucky lady is Ms Wang, who was suicidal when the surgery work in 2013 had left her with unequally sized eyes. These two are just a handful of unfortunate Chinese visitors who are reaping regret as they lay waste after botched surgery work. It’s the worst feeling, especially when many people have high hopes and wishes attached to this one thing. For a big change in their life, they’ve got it. But not the kind they wanted, some even wishing that they had never done it in the first place.

How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Botched Surgery

So how does one find the right choices? Probably knowing two main things will leave you less likely to regret your trip to Seoul. The first is knowing about Gangnam’s beauty belt, and then how to prepare for the procedure itself.

Know Gangnam’s Beauty Belt

Housing hundreds and hundreds of clinics, Gangnam district is not only known for being the beauty belt of Seoul, but a competitive location for many of Seoul’s best surgeons as well as crooks. It is best to avoid illegal brokers, unlicensed practitioners and surgeons. Also, big names are nothing when you cannot be sure if you’ll be put under the best hands. It’s best to find out from friends and family, just who and where they had gotten their procedures done. Then, find out the reputation and ethics involving the clinics you’ve narrowed down on. Luckily, the Korean government has been cracking down on these illegal practices, so there will be less to worry about. Still, it’s best to not be complacent.

The Proper Procedure

There are three main steps to the process of achieving successful cosmetic surgery: before, during and after. Things you could do beforehand, includes informing and understanding what the procedure can, cannot and will do to you; what are the health requirements, risks, side-effects relevant to it? During the procedure itself, you’ll be putting your life in the hands of another, so it would be wise to get someone you trust. After it is all done, take a lot of care and rest as you are recovering. Find out what you’ll need to do to avoid the pitfalls and terrors from botched surgery work.

What the Statistics Say About Korean Plastic Surgery in 2015

Finally, to keep you in the loop: Let us look at some of the world statistics on plastic surgery. In 2013, more than $360 million USD dollars came from the medical tourism industry. So, there’s definitely plenty of people who would be more than willing to fork out the money still. However, unfortunate cases are real but avoidable when compared to the huge amount of successful cases. Travelers from Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, China, Mongolia etc aren’t likely to stop choosing Korea anytime soon. But why choose Korea? Probably because rumour has it that many pretty boys and sophisticated ladies like Korean celebrities themselves have gotten it done in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district. That and the statistics seem to back it all up, that mostly everyone in Asia is choosing Seoul as the ideal destination for all things beauty related. Finally, an interesting intermix of old and new can be seen in the metropolitan city of Seoul, from jijimbangs to ancient palaces to upscale shopping malls to variety of food, clothing and electronics markets. While places in Thailand may offer way cheaper options, the modernity yet traditional spirit evidently seen in Korean culture is something that many can relate to and want to experience. Who could resist?